Life of a Teenage Villainess

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

In a world of superheroes, there are always those who need to be the villain. Jess Kirby's father was a C-List villain known as 'the Toymaker', a principled thief more interested in making money than causing chaos. But after a job went wrong, the Toymaker and his allies were killed in an explosion that levelled several city blocks, forever branding him as a killer. Years later, Jess isn't convinced about the official narrative of her father's death. She's certain there's more to it, and the answers are out there. But in order to get those answers she needs money, and the best way to get money? Use her own superhuman talent to become the new Toymaker, Argent City's newest arms dealer.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: Shocker

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 349
Views: 51,679

What readers say about Life of a Teenage Villainess

“Excellent start to a very intriguing premise. Instead of the usual villainess story which takes place in a Medieval/Renaissance Fantasy, this one happens in more modern times with the main character being a very proactive tinkerer becoming a villain after a…”
Aime EmileRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“I am old and a fan of superhero works. This site was recommended to me by my son. I enjoy the works here and this one is a fresh take with a likeable female MC. She is given a sympathetic backstory that makes it more than just a villain story. The writing i…”
BB&WDRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(8)

Aime EmileRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Excellent start to a very intriguing premise.
Instead of the usual villainess story which takes place in a Medieval/Renaissance Fantasy, this one happens in more modern times with the main character being a very proactive tinkerer becoming a villain after a tragedy which I won't spoil. The story dwelves into the different activities of our main characters and the shady things happening in this city. It manages to blend the exciting action of a super-hero story and the thrills of a story with a villainous protagonist.
Apart from one or two redundant sentences or grammatical errors which were minor enough for me to not knock points off despite their existence, I had a lot of fun reading it. The main character is pretty engaging. The side characters fit the vibe the story is going for very well. There is also a lot of effort put into the presentation with different fonts and styles intertwining. For anyone that easily gets lost when reading a story, timeframes and locations are easily made accessible as well thanks to being put in bold when the scenery is changing.
The author should definitely continue what they're doing and expand on this story. I want to read more. If you're into villainess or villains in general, this story will definitely fit your expectations and more.
BB&WDRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I am old and a fan of superhero works. This site was recommended to me by my son. I enjoy the works here and this one is a fresh take with a likeable female MC. She is given a sympathetic backstory that makes it more than just a villain story. The writing is good. Keep it up I am enjoying a lot.
CalebVanPoneisenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Very to the point from the get-go. Gripping first chapter making me want to immediately click “next” to see what happened, chapter after chapter. The story gets you right where it wants to and not one part felt remotely boring. It has the right amount of details to imagine the scenes and character, with a smooth flow and great ease to read. It’s basically like eating your favorite sweets. Can’t get enough of it.
One thing I enjoyed was the parts with little dialogue. It’s hard to get right, but the author does it like it’s just another Tuesday. And when there’s dialogue, it flows perfectly. And naturally. The formatting is also very good. I especially liked the message formatting in chapter 5.
Jess is a very likeable character. You immediately feel with her. She’s smart, strong, but human, and I think that’s why, on top of all the cool things she does, she’s so much fun. The human part in characters, especially superheroes, is quintessential, and I feel like some authors forget that and make them too bulletproof. We hear how Jess feels inside, her doubts and fears, but that doesn’t stop her from being an awesome anti-hero. Because she’s genuine, and the story feels real.
The only downside I could find were some typos. Very easy fix, and a few people have already pointed them out in the comments. Other than that, it’s simply a gratifying action-packed urban fantasy, which I very much enjoyed. And that’s coming from someone who’s not really into superhero stories.
Highly recommended!
FuriozeRapidaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I binged over 18 chapters in a few days—a rare occurrence for me. Full disclosure: this is my first superhero novel, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in.
What I found was a sweet yet spicy villainess MC who hit my weak spot with critical effectiveness. Her motivation is laid out cleanly and effectively in chapter one, and every subsequent action feels grounded in her background and the story’s premise. Simply put: I liked her.
The supporting cast is solid, if still developing. The characters are distinct from one another, though I haven’t had enough time to fully catalogue them in my head—something that should happen naturally as the story progresses.
I won’t dive too deep into the superhero genre execution since I’m a newbie, but I’ll share my impression: I got Avengers and My Hero Academia vibes, and I mean that as a compliment. The fight scenes in particular reminded me of Captain America: Civil War from the MCU.
The power system is still revealing itself to me, but I appreciated that outnumbered heroes were defeated by “weaker” teens with tactical advantages. The power scaling seems grounded enough to avoid the dreaded “he won because plot demands it and suddenly awakens a new power” trope.
Constructive Criticism: Before you judge my ratings, I deducted one star from style and one from grammar purely due to distracting spelling errors and typos that need fixing. These small issues pulled me out of an otherwise engaging story! Once cleaned up, I genuinely have no other complaints.
Summary: This was a GOOD READ. I’ll definitely return when more chapters are posted to see where the story goes. Recommended!
LM_BussimanRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Honestly? I didn’t think I’d get hooked this fast. I went in expecting a fun “teen villain” premise — but Life of a Teenage Villainess got me by surprise right from the start. The tone, the pacing, the emotion behind it… it all clicked.
The opening chapter does such a good job setting things up. Jess and her dad, The Toymaker, have that perfect mix of warmth, humor, and chaos — and then, boom, Bonfire Night hits and everything falls apart. That one scene flipped the vibe completely and made me want to keep reading right away.
What really keeps me into this story is Jess herself. She’s sarcastic, smart, and you can feel this mix of anger and vulnerability in every scene. I love how the author writes her — she’s not evil, she’s just trying to survive and make sense of a world that already decided she’s the bad guy. The dialogue with Todd adds so much depth too; even when she’s cold, you can tell she’s not heartless.
The writing is super smooth and cinematic, with just enough detail to make the world feel real without slowing it down. Every chapter feels stronger than the last, and now that CH3SH showed up… I’m honestly dying to see what comes next.
Didn’t think I’d find myself this invested in a “villain story,” but here we are — completely hooked.
TheSystemlessOneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you enjoy stories with people having abilities Life of a Teenage Villainess is absolutely worth checking out.
The easiest way to describe the feel is: My Hero Academia meets Darker than Black, with a bit of that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles energy... it blends youth, chaos and a living city full of powered individuals.
Story: It builds its world naturally through character interactions and everyday moments that slowly reveal how this society works.
The protagonist is especially enjoyable to follow. She has attitude, intelligence and a strong sense of self without feeling edgy for the sake of it.
Style: The writing style is smooth and approachable. Chapters flow well, dialogue feels natural and the pacing is comfortable.
What really stands out is the vibe. It has that familiar comfort of ensemble superhero worlds, mixed with a darker elements that hints things won’t always be clean or heroic. If you liked the world dynamics of My Hero Academia, the atmosphere of Darker than Black or the youthful-but-dangerous feel of TMNT, this story hits a similar note.
Overall, it’s a solid, enjoyable read with a strong foundation. Definitely worth giving a shot if you like ability-based worlds. A world full of superheroes and villains and a young woman who chooses the life of the villain :)
ZacHansenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Really enjoying this. I happen to be a big fan of Drew Haye, and this is very similar. It's a unique take on the superhero genre from the villain's perspective that actually works. Jess is a compelling protagonist - she's following in her father's footsteps as a supervillain, but she has a moral code and genuine reasons for her choices that make her easy to root for. Her relationship with her robotic dog Lassie is particularly well done and adds a lot of heart to the story.
The mystery surrounding her father's death in the Bonfire Night explosion is what really hooked me. There's clearly more to that incident than meets the eye, and the recent evidence that some supposedly dead villains might still be alive has me invested in seeing how this unfolds. The worldbuilding feels natural without being overwhelming, and I like how the author handles the technical aspects of Jess's Artisan powers . (enough detail to understand what she can do without getting bogged down).
The writing quality is solid throughout, and the pacing keeps things moving nicely. Can't wait to see how Jess and her new crew handle their first real job, and I'm definitely looking forward to more revelations about what really happened to her father. Highly recommend giving this one a shot if you want something different in the superhero space.
clem_swordRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I will start by saying this: it genuinely makes you forget that you’re rooting for the “bad guy.”
And quite frankly? That is one of the story’s greatest strengths.
I have not come across many villain—or villainess—origin stories that balance empathy, and tension this well. It’s a refreshing reminder that we absolutely need more stories told from the other side of the line, especially when they’re written with this kind of heart and nuance.
Jess’s life is rough in a way that feels real and yet not overly exaggerated, and Shocker does an incredible job making you feel every bit of that weight. I can feel a strong revenge arc simmering beneath the surface, and can't help but want to see how far she will go, or how much of herself she will lose along the way.
There is a growing cast of characters behind the scenes as well, and I do hope we get to see heroes come and join in on the action (maybe introduce a healthy dose of moral dilemma and plot twists along the way). I can only imagine how explosive the rest of the story is going to be—and I am absolutely here for it!